Page 24 of Something to Prove

“That’s nice,” I cut him off. “I’ll contact you tomorrow at the latest.”

Ty didn’t budge. He studied me like a bug under a microscope, leaning against the jamb, arms crossed. “If it’s true, why doesn’t everyone know?”

“I don’twanteveryone to know. It’s my secret and according to your warped calculations, we’re even now.”

“It’s a weird thing to lie about.”

“Agreed, but I’m not lying.” I gritted my teeth. “It doesn’t matter if you believe me or not. I just don’t want you to blab. Do I have your word?”

Ty huffed. “Literally, no one would believe me anyway. Can I ask another question?”

“May I ask, notcanI ask,” I corrected irritably. “And no, you may not. I have things to do. Good day to you.”

“You’re an awkward little asshole, Woodrow.”

“Well…” I sputtered. “Ditto.”

He studied me for a long moment, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but…I kinda like you.”

“Yeah, well…I don’t like you.”

Ty stepped into my space. My small foyer suddenly felt like an oven—too hot, too cramped. I immediately lost my train of thought. He was still smiling, but it was wolfish and wicked and almost scary. And was it my imagination, or was he even closer now? I could see specks of gold in his blue eyes and the jagged white lines of an old scar above his right brow.

He leaned in as if to whisper something. And maybe I was under a spell, because against all good reason, I leaned in too. I could feel his breath on my lips and the heat from his body. He smelled like spearmint gum and a woodsy cologne and…now my heart was in my throat, and my vision was blurry.

Something was about to happen. Something big.

I could feel it coming, but I wasn’t sure of the source. Was it me, was it him? Did it matter?

A nanosecond later, we crashed into each other, our mouths fused like two magnets in a mashed up kiss.

Oh. My. God.

I was kissing Ty Czerniak.

Ty Czerniak was kissing me.

His lips were soft and pliant and molded perfectly to mine. There was no aggression, no fight, no push or pull…just a steady connection.

And then it was gone.

He straightened, knitting his brow with a finger on his bottom lip. “What was that?”

“I don’t know,” I choked out, still reeling.

“Did we just…kiss?”

“Maybe?”

“Huh.”

With that, Ty dug his keys from his pocket, opened the door, and headed to the black Jeep parked at the curb.

I watched him slide dark sunglasses on his nose and turn on the engine, making the mundane tasks look impossibly cool. Darn him for making a liar out of me. I wanted to dislike Ty for being so difficult and pigheaded, but I understood his misgivings, and yes…that lip-lock confused the heck out of me.

Whatwasthat? Had we really kissed?

No, it was frustration. That had to be it. We’d both been worked up for different reasons, simmering angrily until we’d boiled over and…kissed.